AMECEA: Archbishop Odongo – ‘The Only Living Representative from AMECEA Region at the Vatican II Council’
Most Rev. James Odongo, Archbishop Emeritus of Tororo, Uganda
The death of Rt. Rev. Colin Cameron Davis, Bishop Emeritus of Ngong Diocese on 8th January, 2016, at the age of 92 leaves the former AMECEA Chairman Most Rev. James Odongo, Archbishop Emeritus of Tororo, Uganda as the only living delegate from AMECEA region who participated in the Vatican II Council Meeting in Rome which was held between the years 1962 and 1965.
Archbishop Emeritus of Tororo, Uganda
The late Bishop Colin was among the 2,468 Council Fathers who attended Session Three of the Vatican Council Meeting which was held from 14th September 1964 to 21st November 1964. At the age of 40. He again attended Session Four, which concluded the Vatican II Council Meeting; the session that was also attended by Archbishop Odongo by then as the Auxiliary Bishop of Tororo, Uganda.(at the Age of 34) being among the youngest Council Fathers.
Speaking to AMECEA Online News from Uganda, Archbishop Odongo expressed his sadness towards the death of Bishop Colin Davis whom together they attended they attended Session Four of the Vatican II Council.
Bishop Colin Davis was buried in England on Friday, 20 January 2017. The Catholic Diocese of Ngong held a requiem Mass on the same day to correspond with the burial in England. On behalf of the Chairman of AMECEA, H.E. Berhaneyesus D. Cardinal Souraphiel of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Addis Ababa, AMECEA Secretary General Very Rev Fr Ferdinand Lugonzo, in his condolence message to the Chairman of Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops said that Bishop Davies will be remembered as a man of great faith and zeal in the missionary work of the Church, an avid reader and writer as well as a great apostle to the Maasai community (Pastoralists). “We thank him for being part of the founding fathers of AMECEA and being a strong example of communion and solidarity among Bishops,” read the message.
Speaking to AMECEA Online News from Uganda, Archbishop Odongo shared his sentiments about the Vatican II Council, and he wished that the spirit of the council would be fully embraced by majority of Catholics. “Honestly speaking, the spirit of Vatican II Council has not been lived fully because people have no time to read the document. As a result, things are happening but people are not conscious that they are part of the document,” Archbishop Odongo said.
“I was ordained a priest during Vatican I in 1956, so I lived the theology of Vatican I for priestly formation and ordination and came to Vatican II only in 1962,” he explained adding that what he remembers best is the whole process of the transition from Vatican I to Vatican II.
Archbishop Odongo said that when the Catechism of the Catholic Church first came out he was asked by Rome as one of the Council Fathers for any amendments. “I had three amendments which I sent back to Rome and when the document came out I noticed that they had been inserted into the document of the Catechism of the Catholic Church which the Church uses today,” he said adding that the catechism of the Catholic Church is a living document which is transmitting the life of Vatican II Council even to those who never heard of it .
Archbishop Odongo who will celebrate his 86th Birthday in March, 2017 attended the Council meeting as an Auxiliary Bishop of Tororo at the age of 34. He was among the youngest Council Fathers.
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By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
